To me it's a sad day when the Russian Premier seems a lot more on the ball than the US President.

Dude, sexual harrassment 101 is do not touch a co-worker. Doesn't matter if you intend it to be sexual or not. It's a no-no. I would be very very skeeved if any male in my workplace attempted to massage my shoulders. Ew and also disrespectful. I'm sorry for Teppy that she works with such a clueless moron. You should report him as a risk since he doesn't even know the basics of sexual harrassment in the workplace. Grrr.

Why on earth did he call you racist, Tep?

The other day he recounted a joke whose punchline relied on a racial stereotype, and I said that such jokes weren't funny.

Today, as we were arguing the Was Bush Sexually Harassing Or Not question, I told him he was being inconsistent, and he said "Just like you are with racist jokes."

I was confused, only b/c it seemed to come out of nowhere, and b/c it didn't relate to Bush. He said, "The other day you said that you don't like racist jokes, but you've told them in the past, which makes you inconsistent. Actually, a hypocrite."

All I could do was stare at him for a minute, and then I said, "I know that I have told racist jokes in the past, and I have no defense for that. But in the recent past, I've made a serious effort to think about what I say, especially when it comes to things that are considered to be funny. And I think I've been consistent for a while when it comes to anything racist."

His reply? "So that just excuses your racism in the past?"

I said "No, I already said that there is no defense for things I've said in the past. All I can do is be mindful in the present so that I'm not hypocritical."

Him: "Well, you have no grounds to call ME inconsistent."

I finally suggested that we get back to work, as the argument was doing either of us no good (and making our other 2 co-workers extremely uncomfortable).

Yeah, in the past, I have told -- and laughed at -- jokes involving racial stereotypes. That isn't defensible, and I own that. But what I do and say in the present -- that doesn't count for anything? Once a racist hypocrite, always a racist hypocrite?

I feel ugly (like, ugly-spirited, not physically ugly) and stupid and bigoted thanks to that conversation.

I really REALLY hate today.

Dear Teppy,

I think there is a Reese's calling your name some where, and you should eat it, and go to a happy place until beer time (beer foamy).

Love,
Cindy

P.S. This entire week can kiss my royal ruby red ass, as far as I'm concerned.

Apropos of nothing, I think the Putin video skeeved me more than the Bush one. The Putin thing seemed so out of the blue, like he was acting out some compulsion.

Okay, now *I* want to fly up there and punch him in the crotch.

Seriously, there's no call for that kind of jackasshattery.

I really wish salespeople did a little teeny bit of research before cold-calling me. This is a research institution. Run by the feds. This is a helpdesk number. You don't really think I'm going to transfer your call, do you? Also? Get a better phone service. I had to ask you to repeat yourself so many times before I figured out it was a sales call, I almost hung up on you for the hell of it.

Speaking of Bush, babies and photos: Write Your Own Caption

Seriously, there's no call for that kind of jackasshattery.

Seriously.

What Jess and the others said about your co-worker, Steph. Feh on him.

Where's Juliana or Vortex or meara?

Just say "oh, I --" stop abruptly, smile enigmatically and say "nothing special" What their minds will come up with is FAR more exciting than anything you could actually do.

See, I knew Vortex would be able to help.

I thought Bush's behavior to the German chancellor was more about power and latent sexism than anything sexual. Creepy stuff, but as someone upthread (apologies, but I didn't write down who said this) pointed out, it's typical animal dominance behavior.